By OKUTTAH MARK
Mobile applications targeting job seekers, farmers and easier trading in stocks were winners of this year’s Safaricom AppWiz Challenge.
Lynk, a mobile application which provides a platform for
people in the informal sector to meet potential employers and seek job
opportunities, bagged the Sh1.5 million first prize.
Created by Adam Grunewald, Erick Obiero and Sharon
Macharia, the platform aims at providing an easy to use, affordable and
reliable platform to connect thousands of workers to people in need of
on-demand services ranging from plumbing and electrical work to
gardening, painting and car repair.
“We envision a world in which everyone can enjoy
job security, fair wages, a safe work environment, and the opportunity
for career growth. Additionally, for a household, hiring someone for a
job should be safe, convenient, and fair,” said Lynk in a statement.
Innovative solution
This year’s edition of the Safaricom AppWiz
Challenge attracted more than 320 applications in four categories
including Customer Engagement, Product Excellence, Mobile Convenience,
and Out of the Box.
The competition, launched in July, saw 13 finalists
selected to join a three-month incubation programme which began in
September. Joseph Ogutu, Safaricom’s Director of Innovation and
Strategy, said the competition has grown significantly since it was
launched in 2013.
“Given that the issue of unemployment remains a
source of concern for Kenya’s economy, we have seen Lynk provide an
innovative solution to the hundreds of thousands of young people looking
for jobs in the informal sector,” said Mr Ogutu.
The prize money is in the form of grants which will go towards growing the winners’ start-ups.
This year, Mr Ogutu said, saw innovators present a
more refined set of ideas to the panel of judges, coaches and mentors.
Hisa Play, a game which simulates trading on the stock exchange and
equips users with skills to invest in bourses, took home Sh1 million as
the 1st runners-up.
Stock trading
Hisa Play mirrors real time stock trading. It uses
system generated currency to familiarise and equip players with
practical financial literacy skills required to trade on the bourse.
According to the developers of Hisa Play, will
enable users to understand how to invest, why, when and in which stocks
one should put money for profitable returns on investment. The app runs
on numerous android platforms and can be played either individually or
in a group.
“We aim to educate, equip and familiarise young
people with practical financial literacy skills required to trade on the
securities exchange by using mobile gaming applications,” said the
founders in a statement.
Mkulima App, a solution which helps farmers reduce
harvest wastage and track incomes, was third with its developers
taking home Sh500,000. Kenyan farmers waste away about a third of their
harvests.
The app also helps farmers track the quantity of produce over a period of time.
Spur growth
The application is being piloted among tea
farmers. The developers plan to expand it to other farmers in the
coffee, milk and pyrethrum sectors, among others.
“This will help meet 80 per cent of collection
schedules and reduce produce wastage to 10 per cent. It will see a
sustainable, productive economy with high profits for farmers,” said
Denis Gikundi, one of the Mkulima App developers.
ICT ministry PS Victor Kyalo said the competition
proves that Kenya has a wealth of creative people with ability to
develop relevant, home-grown technological solutions to the country’s
challenges and needs.
“This Safaricom initiative is proof that
partnership and co-creation can spur Kenya’s growth in ICT by connecting
young innovators to the business community and consumers, thereby
supporting innovation and creating employment,” he said.
The competition saw 13 finalists coached and mentored by ICT experts.
Winners were selected based on the sustainability of their applications, creativity and ability to scale them up.
No comments:
Post a Comment